1. Field of the Invention
The invention is for insulation of a pipe.
In many places for the world and in many different uses it is desirable to insulate a pipe which is carrying a liquid.
One of these instances is a pipe carrying a liquid and the pipe is in a cold area of the world.
If the ambient temperature around the pipe is cold the viscosity of the liquid decreases. With a decrease in the viscosity of a liquid it becomes more difficult to force the liquid through the pipe. In certain instances the liquid may congeal. In extreme cases the liquid may freeze which means that it is impossible to force liquid through the pipe. Generally, these areas are the northern climates of the world.
The liquid which is being forced through the pipe may be petroleum or oil. In the area of Prudhoe Bay, Ak., the ambient temperature may be cold. Hot petroleum is pumped from the earth and transported through pipes. It is necessary to maintain the petroleum in the pipes at a high temperature for ease of pumping the petroleum through the pipes. To maintain the high temperature of the petroleum it is necessary to insulate the pipes.
This invention is directed to insulation and the application of said insulation to pipes for maintaining the temperature of the material in the pipes.
There may be a converse to the foregoing in that it may be desirable to keep the temperature of the liquid in the pipe below a certain set temperature. Therefore, insulation is used to try and keep, the liquid cool. There may be deleterious effect on the liquid if it becomes heated while flowing through the pipe.
This invention is designed to be used in the field. There may be a break in the insulation of the pipe in the field and it is necessary to repair this break. This invention is designed so that an artisan can go into the field and apply this insulation to the pipe. In certain instances the pipe may have been installed without insulation and it is necessary to add insulation.
2. Description of the Prior Art
There is a type of insulation which is commercially available. This type of insulation comprises a half shell of polyurethane foam. The foam is a solid foam and the half shell can be placed on the pipe so that the pipe is completely surrounded by the two half shells of polyurethane foam. Then, there may be wrapped around the exterior of the polyurethane foam, a positioning and a protective material. For example, there may be wrapped around the exterior of the polyurethane foam on the pipe a thin sheet of metal, about 0.064 inches in thickness. This thin sheet of metal is a half wrap so that there are actually two layers of the metal surrounding the polyurethane foam on the pipe. In place of the thin sheet of metal, there may be used a mastic tape. Again, there is a half overlap wrap or two thicknesses of the mastic tape.
This type of unit and repair of broken insulation or the addition of new insulation to a pipe is labor-intensive and time-consuming. As a result, cost of applying these two half shells of polyurethane to a pipe is not economical.
Many years ago, a patent was awarded to a Donald J. Smith, U.S. Pat. No. 3,337,681, as of 1967 Aug. 22. This patent taught of a protective shield for joining two electrical cables. The electrical shield provided a protection for the junction of the two electrical cables and to prevent moisture contacting said junction.